Steering-gear.



C. H. WILLARD.

STEERING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPVT. 28, 1011 1,045,922. Patented; Dec. 3, 1912.

HIIIIIIIIIIIHHIHII [NYENTO WZL JHED, OF PASADENA, CALZFOEZN' DtIGElii PUGXUZDEY, 3F Quill},

Application filed fienteniher 1311.

may concern:

that i, SHARLES ll. imiann, l ited States, residing at Pasadena, county Los Angeles, and State of Cal'forma. have invented certain new and u .lmprownncnts 1n .tltecrlng tlear,

of v

oh the following is a specificat lhis invention relates to steering gear.

The r 'ent invention relates to that class of g gear for automobiles and other vehicles wherein the four who ls of the automobile or vehicle are coupled for simultaneous turning to enable the vehicle to he turned within a shorter radius than if only 5.5 the front wheels were turned.

My invention has for its object the provision of new steering gear of the type above mentioned in which provision is made for coupling or uncoupling steer ing gear of the rear wheels with the stee lug gear of the front wneels so that under ordinary conditions of travel only the steering gear for the front wheels may he used, but when. it becomes necessary to turn with 'in very short radius, the steering gear for the rear wheels may he coupled up and all four wheels turned.

Another object of the inventimi is the provision of novel connecting means, in a 36 four wheel. steering gear. whereby friction on the connecting parts is minimized and quick and short turning rendered possible.

A still further object is to provide novel means whereby the coupling of: the steering gear for the rear wheels with the steering shaft may be readily accomplished, at will.

A still further object to provide a novel Connection between the steering shaft or stem and the steering gear whereby any movement of the body of the aiiioiuohile or vehicle in relation to the running gear is compensated for and the steering of the vehicle facilitated.

The foregoing objects of the invention are to he considered as illustrative rather than restrictive of its scope.

One form of tie invention is set forth hereinafter and shown in the accompanying 59 drawings, in whichk- Figure 1 is a plan view; larged view of the steering gear;

longitudinal section through Fig. 2; Fig. l,

a longitudinal section through a part of 55 Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a perspective of the bracket Fig. 2, an en- Specification or".

fieriai i 'o. 651,896.

ai. l up; i a similar view of the latch in pOSlllOIl for reception within the and detail of the conteering shaft and steerteering gear is adaptable for on with any automobile or vehicle having swinging wheels, but particularly adapted for use in conwith the wheels set forth in my application, Serial No. 607,996, chi-nary 11, 1911, for automobile connect wl eels and The (levi 1 such as knuckles, caps, or

other inea is the pivotal mounting of the wheels 'i are shown at 2 and connected by the front steering bar 3, in one instance, and the rear steering bar t in the other instance.

Pivoted at to the vehicle is a lever 6 which has a gear segment 7 at one end. its other end is connected to the steering bar 53 by a bolt 8 which lies loosely in elongated slots and it) in the steering bar and lever (i so that said holt has free play therein. This C(il'll'lQCl'lOU used at other points, as will presently appear, and has the combined advantage of a connector and roller hearing as the bolt turns when the lever (3 is shifted and thus eliems shifting of the steering bar 2-). while dunuushlng friction at the point of connecthm of the lever 6 thereto. The gear segment 7 meshes with a. pinion 1.1 which is secured to the steering stem 12. 'lhev steering stem 12 has a flattened head 13 entering the slot 14- of the lever 15 which n turn is connected by joints 16 to lever 17. the lovers 1;) and l? constituting a universal toggle joint which permits up and down play of the vehicle body without interfering with the steering of the vehicle. A suitable mounting 18 is provided for the stcerin slutft 19 which may have any suit- 1: alole hand wnecl 20, the shaft- 19 belng 'mounted at 21. in the bracket 18 in such fashion that the steering shaft 19 ,can be swung to various angles without ihterfering with thesteering of the vehicle. Shaft 19 has a flattened part 22 which enters an elongated slot on the lever 17.

Pivoted a 2 to the chassis is agcar seg nlent which meshes with the pinion 11. Suitably provided, preferably on pivot 24, is a lever 26 which carries a latch 27 pivoted thereto at 28 and provided with a lug or pin the gear segment 25.

29 adapted for reception in the socket 230 in the gear segment 25.

Bridging the gear segment and adapted to limit the swing thereof, is a bracket 3i to a raised part 32 of which is pivoted at 33 a stirrup 34 whose arms receive the free end of the latch 27 and are curved to suitably engage the upper and lower faces thereof without interfering with the movement of To operate this stirrup there is provided a suitable pull rod 35 in convenient position for operation from the drivers seat. Suitable latching means 36 is provided to cooperate with the rod and bolt so that the stirrup will maintain the latch 27 in either raised or lowered position, and consequently enables its lug or pin 29 to engage the socket 30 in the gear segment 25, and in consequence lock the lever 26 to the gear segment, it being understood that the gear segment 25 is free from connection with the lever 26 except at such time as the lug .29 is received in the socket 30. WVhen so received, the rear steering bar is operable from the steering mechanism, but when the lug is out of the socket, the rear steering wheels are maintained in normal position.

A lever 37 pivoted to the chassis 38 connects the lever 26 to the steering bar 4. Slots 39 and 40 and bolts ll and 42 form the connections bet-ween the said parts. The slots and the bolts have the same function as the slot and bolt connection 8 between the lever 6 and the front steering bar 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a'steerin'g gear, the combination with front and rear steering wheels, steering bars for the respective sets of wheels, a series of articulated levers connecting the steering bars of the front and rear wheels, means for operating said series of levers, and connec- 2. In a steering gear, the combination with a toothed member, of a steering device for shifting said toothed member, other toothed members engaged with the aforesaid toothed member, front and rear wheels, an operative connection between one of the last-- named toothed members and one set of the steering wheels, a member adapted for shifting the other set of steering wheels, a latch ing lever adapted for connecting said member to the other of the last-named toothed members, and a device for engaging latching member with or disengaging it from said toothed member.

In a steering gear, the combination with a toothed member, of a steering dev for shifting said toothed member, otfr toothed members engaged with the afore toothed member, front and rear steewheels, an operative connection between of the last-named toothed members and set of the steering wheels, a member ada' for shifting the other set of steering w a latching lever adapted for connect. member to the other of the last-named n here, a stirrup between whose arms the lat ing member is loosely received and by which said latching member is shifted into or out of engagement. with said toothed member, and a device for locking said stirrup for the foregoing purpose.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES HENRY WILLARD.

Witnesses H. T. QUAs'r, J OHN M. Games. 

